[lfc-news] Uefa defiant over Liverpool entry - BBC

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BBC Sport, 26 May 2005
Uefa defiant over Liverpool entry

Uefa has insisted it has no plans to change its rules to allow Liverpool
to defend their Champions League crown.

The Reds finished fifth in the Premiership - a place outside automatic
qualification for the Champions League.

"I fully sympathise with the club and I would love to have them in there
- but we have rules," Uefa spokesman William Gaillard told BBC Radio
Five Live.

"We can't change them in the middle of the season. The FA has said
Everton are the fourth English club to qualify."

Gaillard insisted that the precedent set in the 2000-01 season, when
Real Madrid defended the trophy despite finishing fifth because the
Spanish football federation decided to hand them Real Zaragoza's place,
would make no difference.

How do we, for good sporting reasons, find a way to persuade Uefa that
it should find room for Liverpool
FA chief executive Brian Barwick

But the English Football Assoctiation has pledged its support to
Liverpool's quest for a Champions League place after the breathtaking
win over AC Milan in Istanbul.

"We'll be keeping up a dialogue with Uefa, which we have been for the
last couple of months," said FA chief executive Brian Barwick.

"What Uefa has, and I sympathise with it to a degree, is a situation
where it is faced with not having its own champions in its own
competition which is called the Champions League.

"Liverpool finished outside the top four. I think the FA was right and
proper to put the top four in to the Champions League.

"We are more in a situation now of how do we, for good sporting reasons,
find a way to persuade Uefa that it should find room for Liverpool?"
added Barwick.

And Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insisted his team should be allowed
back into the Champions League next season.

"We have won the trophy. It is common sense that the winner should
defend the title," said Benitez.

"It's quite unbelievable to even consider that a side who will play in
the European Super Cup as well as the World Club Championship next
season should not be allowed back into the Champions League."

Meanwhile, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has also made his own
plea to Uefa: "Look at the support, the worldwide audience and the game.

"I think we have to be given a shot. We are worthy champions and I think
that's what the world will say."

Liverpool get to keep the European Cup trophy after winning it for the
fifth time by beating AC Milan on penalties.

But their participation in the competition has been in doubt since the
Football Association decided that the top four in the Premiership would
take up England's places next season.

Parry added: "At least we get to keep this one so they can't take it
back off us if nothing else.

"You wouldn't have given a lot for our chances at half-time but the boys
were absolutely magnificent.

"It's good to win it for the supporters because they were magnificent."

And Reds skipper Steven Gerrard added: "It is called the Champions
League so the champions should be able to defend it."

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said: "Yes, I think they should be
allowed to defend the title."

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